Collectible card with cavity for containing inner item

ABSTRACT

A collectible trading card that contains a cavity within which is located a second trading card in which the identity of the second trading card is unknown and the second trading card is inaccessible without altering the collectible trading card.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a collectible card that can be opened to allow access to an inner item and a method for making the same. More particularly, it relates to a trading card of the collectible type having a tear strip that can be used to rip open one side of the card to reveal a second collectible card contained therein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Trading cards typically are assessed a monetary value based on the scarcity of the particular card, the fame of the player, team, or other item depicted on the face of the card, and the condition of the card. Many collectors protect the cards in their collection with a variety of plastic cases, frames, and holders.

Trading cards are typically purchased as a pack, containing more than one card, from a store. The pack is typically wrapped in an opaque plastic or paper covering, thus concealing the contents of the pack. Thus, when purchased, the collector does not know the identity of, or true value of, the cards contained in the pack. However, once the package is opened, the value can be assessed.

In the prior art, a company called Pinnacle came up with the concept of placing trading cards within a package, with the package having a picture of a sports figure on it. The product was marketed as “dare to tear”, with the idea that the unopened package would have some collectible value to it and collectors would have the option of opening the packaging or not. The packaging was a flexible foil-like material. However, this concept was unrelated to the value of the trading cards themselves.

What is needed in the art is a way to increase or retain some uncertainty in the value of a trading card once the pack is opened.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features described herein and other features of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description and drawings of illustrative embodiments of the invention in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a front rear of the first embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of the first embodiment of the invention illustrating use of a tear strip included in the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings, the present invention is described with reference to a particular exemplary embodiment in which the trading card contains a second collectible trading card.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a collectible trading card 10 having multiple layers and containing a second collectible trading card 60. The card 10 includes a front card 20 and back card 30. The card 10 further includes a spacer 40 having an inner frame 50 that surrounds the inner card 60. The front card 20 and back card 30 are preferably the same size and shape such that when they are placed together, it is not easily detectible that the card includes more than a single sheet of material. In the assembled card 10, the front card 20, back card 30, and spacer 40 are attached such that the inner card 60 is contained within the cavity created between the inner surface of the front card 20, the inner surface of the back card 30, and the frame 50 of the spacer 40. Either the front card 20, the back card 30, or both can be removed, or ripped open, to reveal or allow access to the inner card 60.

Preferably, the card 10 includes a tear strip 70 between the spacer 40 and the back card 30 and may be attached to at least one layer of the card 10. In use, the tear strip can be pulled away from the spacer so as to rip through the back card 30, and thereby expose the inner card 60. The front card 20 is not ripped and preserved in appearance. The tear strip 70 is preferably attached to any component of the card 10 at a base end of the tear strip such that it can not be removed from the card without ripping through a layer of the card. Optionally, the tear strip 70 can be attached to the inner surface of the back card 30 along the length of the tear strip 70, or portions thereof.

Preferably, the tear strip 70 is made of a material that is more durable than the back card 30. For example, if the back card 30 is made from cardboard, the tear strip 70 is preferably a plastic or metallic strip. It should be noted that the tear strip 70 can be made from the same material as back card 30, but is preferably stronger (i.e., thicker or reinforced) to provide the desired ripping action.

The inner card 60 is preferably a flat item, or an item folded into a flat configuration. In the embodiment illustrated in the figures, the inner card 60 is a second card having dimensions proportional to the card 10. However, the inner card 60 can be any shape that can fit within the size and shape of the card 10. The spacer 40 is preferably at least as thick as the inner card 60 in the configuration in which it will be inserted into the cavity. Additionally, the inner card 60 can also be cut or shaped appropriately to provide a suitable frame 50 for the inner card 60.

Optionally, a notch 80 can be cut into the spacer 40 near the tear strip 70 to allow a user of the card to grip the tear strip 70 more easily. Alternatively, or in addition to the notch 80, the tear strip 70 can include a grip portion 85 that is partially cut, or notched, from the back card 30. The grip portion 85 can be used, optionally in combination with the notch 80, to enable start the tearing of the tear strip 70.

The back card 30 to which the tear strip 70 is attached, can include a perforation 90 which will create a more uniform edge as the tear strip 70 rips through the back card 30. While the perforation 90 in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 is along the border of the tear strip 70, it should be noted that the perforation 90 can be spaced away from the tear strip 70. The back card 30 can include one or more perforations 90 to control and shape of the rip created in the back card 30 as the tear strip 70 is pulled. Additionally, the tear strip 70 can vary in size and placement along the back card 30 to create a particular rip pattern (e.g., a zigzag, hourglass, or perimeter of the frame 50).

It would be understood by one skilled in the art that the tear strip 70 is not the only way to open the card 10 to reveal the inner card 60, but that various ways known in the art can be used. In one alternative, the card 10 has neither a tear strip 70 nor perforations 90, and the card back 30 can be laminated or attached to the spacer 40. The collector can rip open the card 10 by simply pulling the card back 30 away from the card 10, Optionally, the process and adhesive used to attach the card back 30 to the spacer 40 can be controlled to allow the entire card back 30 to neatly (i.e., cleanly) pull away from the spacer 40, or it can be fixedly attached to the spacer 40 to encourage the user to rip the card back 30 to access the inner card 60. In a further alternative, the card back 30 can include the perforations 90 without a tear strip 70. The perforations can be used to create a clean tear in the card back 30 and thus add to the aesthetic of the card.

The card 10 can be assembled through a variety of processes known in the art. For example, the tear strip 70 can be attached to the back card 30 using an adhesive, or preferably an aqueous coating. Perforations 90 are preferably made on the card back 30 prior to attaching the card back 30 the spacer 40. The spacer 40 can then be laminated onto the back card 30, or alternatively attached via an adhesive. The inner card 60 is then inserted into the frame 50 of the spacer 40, and the front card 20 is fixed to spacer 40 preferably by an adhesive or lamination. Optionally, the assembled card 10 can be cut (i.e., trimmed) after assembly to achieve the desired shape or size.

The embodiment of the assembled card 10 illustrated in the front view of FIG. 2 includes a front card 20 depicting a baseball player. The front card 20 is preferably made from a regular card stock. As illustrated, from the front view of the assembled card 10 the construction of the card 10 does not evidence that the card 10 differs from a traditional collectible trading card.

FIG. 3 illustrates a rear view of the assembled card 10 and the back card 30. The back card 30 optionally includes printing or a design. While the back card 30 can be made from a variety of materials, it is preferably made from a material that is thinner and easier to tear than the front card 20. Preferably, the construction and assembly of the card 10 when viewed from the rear only indicates that the card 10 differs from a traditional collectible card by the optional grip portion 85. Furthermore, the perforations 90 are preferably not visible from the rear view of the back card 30. However, the perforations 90 can be included on the exterior surface of the back card 30 or pass through the entire width of the back card 30, if useful or required, to produce the desired rip pattern.

Once the user pulls the tear strip 70, preferably by inserting a finger into the notch 80, gripping the grip portion 85, and pulling the tear strip 70 substantially perpendicular to the card 10, the back card 30 rips to expose the inner card 60. FIG. 4 illustrates a card 10 that has been substantially ripped open in the manner described above. Preferably, the inner card 60 is not fixedly attached to any other piece of the card 10 and can be easily removed from the cavity created by the spacer 40, back card 30 and front card 20. Ripping the back card 30 does not impact the appearance of the front card 20. Rather, as discussed above, the back card 30 is ripped to reveal the heretofore unknown contents of card 10.

The unopened card 10 can have particular monetary or collectible value, based on the condition, scarcity, and fame of the image depicted on the card front 20. Additionally, the inner card 60 can have a separate monetary or collectible value. However, the value of the inner card 60 is unknown until the card 10 is ripped open. The act of ripping open the card 10 greatly impacts the condition of the card 10 and is likely to decrease the collectible value of the card 10. Thus, the collector is faced with the choice of preserving the whole value of the card 10 without realizing the value of the inner card 60, or ripping open the card 10 to determine the value of the inner card 60, thereby decreasing the value of the card 10.

While the embodiment illustrated in the figures is directed to a collectible trading card 10 containing a second inner trading card 60, it would be realized by one skilled in the art that the invention can utilized for alternative purposes. For example, rather than including a stick of chewing gum in a package of collectible cards, the stick of chewing gum can be stored in the cavity of the card 10. Alternatively, the card 10 can conceal a memorabilia card, game piece, puzzle piece, or prize ticket.

While the invention has been shown primarily by way of reference to a collectible trading card having a tear strip and containing a second inner collectible trading card, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be utilized in any collectible trading card having a way of opening one side of the card and containing a flat inner item and that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. As an example, the trading card can be opened through an edge of the card, by cutting the card in half by having perforations or a tear strip running completely around the trading card or opened through the face of the card. 

1. A collectible trading card comprising: a front card with an image of a famous figure, location or event; a back card; a spacer frame attached to and located between the front and back cards; and a prize located within the spacer frame and between the front and back cards.
 2. The collectible trading card of claim 1 wherein the prize is inaccessible without physically altering either the front card or the back card.
 3. The collectible trading card of claim 1 wherein the prize is a second trading card.
 4. The collectible trading card of claim 1 further comprising: a means for accessing the prize through either the front card or the back card.
 5. The collectible trading card of claim 2 further comprising: a tear strip in either the front card or back card for accessing the prize.
 6. The collectible trading card of claim 2 wherein the identity of the prize is unknown without physically altering either the front card, back card or attachment between the spacer frame and the front or back cards.
 7. The collectible trading card of claim 2 wherein the prize is a game piece, a puzzle piece or a prize ticket.
 8. A trading card comprising: a first card having an image of a famous figure, location or event on one surface; the first card having a sealed interior cavity; and a second card located within the sealed interior cavity.
 9. The trading card of claim 8 wherein the first card must be destructively altered to access the second card located within the sealed interior cavity.
 10. The trading card of claim 8 further comprising: a means for accessing the second card.
 11. The trading card of claim 8 further comprising: a tear strip for accessing the second card.
 12. The trading card of claim 8 wherein the second card is a trading card, a memorabilia card, a game piece, a puzzle piece or a prize ticket.
 13. The trading card of claim 8 wherein the first card and the second card have value as collectible items.
 14. A package of trading cards, comprising: at least one trading card with an image of a famous figure, location or event on one surface; the at least one trading card having a sealed interior cavity; and a second card located within the sealed interior cavity.
 15. The package of trading cards of claim 14 further comprising: the at least one trading card having a means for accessing the second card.
 16. The trading card of claim 14 wherein the second card is a trading card, a memorabilia card, a game piece, a puzzle piece or a prize ticket. 